1.0 Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction

In this research it is attempted to explore the primary causes of knife crime with more occurrences being recorded in cities. It seeks to find out its causative factors as well as the impacts it has on people particularly the youths. It is a criminal use of knife when an individual employed a knife to intimidate, attack or kill another person. It has been a huge issue in many areas of the United Kingdom including the busy areas such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Some of the communities that have been affected include the youth who are actively participating and this has caused severe injuries and some deaths.

For achieving the objective of the present study, the following research question shall be answered: What are the reasons behind coupled with the fact that why knife crime is on the rise? With reference to poverty, gender, policing and justice system. It also examines how the media discuss the issue of knife crime. This work was done through literature review of books, article and reports. It does not incorporate interviews in its process of collecting information nor the use of questionnaires. Qualitative method is used in this regard since one aims at coming up with the ‘why’ of the issue and not the ‘what.’

It is important now to accept what should have been very obvious; that when people resort to knife-crime, it is not just a criminal issue; it is a social issue. This indicates that there are anomalies in today young people’s lives.

1.2 Background

Across the Uk there has been a remarkable public concern in relation to knife crime, including reports emphasizing on the sharp weapons used. Metropolitan regions like London, the West Midlands are reported to be the three areas with highest rates of knife related incidents.

Manchester has especially high paces of blade related wrongdoings per capita. London alone detailed a 16% ascent in blade related wrongdoings throughout the year 2023, adding to a disturbing expansion in youth fatalities related with blades 1(www.ons.gov.uk, 2023). While statistics from west midlands areas calculate to around 180 offences per 100,000 of population. This shows a constant rise in the knife violence having influence on safety 2 (Mathers, 2024).

Growing knife crime rates lead to serious implications for community safety, youth development, and healthcare services. Statistics show to have reported over 3,800 hospital admissions for knife injuries in the year ending June 2024, underscoring the financial and

physical toll that knife crime imposes on healthcare resources. Even though this is less than the previous year, the rise of injuries bounces back on the constant risks related with knife violence (www.ons.gov.uk, 2023).

Rise of Knife Crime

Since 2014, knife crime has been on the increase in the United Kingdom. London and West Midland are some of the regions that are most affected by knife related crimes as reported by the Office for National statistics-ONS. It was shocking to note that in 2023, there has been a 16% rise in knife crime in London (www.ons.gov.uk, 2023). A good number of the persons affected are the youths they are between the age of 10 and 29 years. Especially, there are more people attending hospital with knife injury (Mathers, 2024). According to the records of the year ending in June 2024, 3,817 people were reportedly admitted to hospitals to receive treatment for knife related injuries.

Although there has been a slight decrease in some numbers, knife crime still evokes fear in the society. It impacts on safety, the ability of populations to access health, and facilitates the development of employment prospects for the young generation. The community is concerned as to why this is the case and ways to address the issue.

Media Representation of Knife Crime

Media has a major influence on the perception that people have for knife crime. Newspapers and News channels depict violent crimes in such a way that is very dramatic. This can make people become more fearful even though crime rate may not be rising in his or her area. Some reports also encompass more about the crimes that had been committed by young Black boys which is a way of portraying biased information with regard to race.

Very often the media does not reveal the actual causes of knife crime. It probably does not speak of it in terms of poverty, low education levels or lack of employment. This could create the mentality of the public that knife crime is just something done by those in gangs or involved in negative conduct (www.ons.gov.uk, 2023). Through its coverage and portrayal of crimes, the media can also in similarly affect the police and government actions on crimes.

1.3 Research aim and objective

Research aim

The research is mainly focused on finding out why knife crime is so prevalent in urban places across the UK. This study takes a critical view in criminology to offer a balanced perspective on the problem, reduce discriminatory attitudes toward young people, and investigate the role that institutions play in increasing violent crime and punishment amongst young people. The research is mainly focused on finding out why knife crime is so prevalent in urban places across the UK. This study takes a critical view in criminology to offer a balanced perspective on the problem, reduce discriminatory attitudes toward young people, and investigate the role that institutions play in increasing violent crime and punishment amongst young people.

Research Objectives

The main aim of the study is to observe how the issues related to economic, social, and cultural factors contribute to the rise in knife crime in urban areas.

· To get the impact that stop and search methods by the police have on how young people experience and view crime prevention.

· To observe how the criminal justice system may reinforce inequalities between different genders, racial groups, and age groups in cases of knife crime.

1.4 Research Questions

Q.1. What are the main factors that impact the prevalence of knife crime in the areas of UK?

Sub Research question

1. Has “knife crime” gone up in the UK, and what does media coverage tell about how the public thinks about it?

2. How can the various strategies make an impact on the experience of the involved young people?

3. What role do inequalities around gender, race, and economic status have on how criminal justice deals with young people?

1.5 Research rationale

According to the survey report, some youths take knives with them because they are afraid. They believe it would afford them protection. Some people do it to feel strong or to conform to a certain group identified to have certain strength or powers as their prerogative.

At times, youths are compelled or coerced into using knives by other youths in groups, or sometimes older persons. They may not always want to do it but are likely to be of the impression that there is no other option.

1.6 Research Significance

It also proved that knife crime is rather widespread and influences different segments of population of this country. It affects families, schools, health facilities, and communities in general.

This paper aims at establishing relations between the different concepts and demonstrate how social factors such as poverty, lack of support, racism, and unfair treatment contribute to knife crime.

Thus, the research also aims at providing evidence of a potential change. If only society comprehends the actual reasons, then there is hope for improved procedures to be implemented.

While there are many who are concerned with knife crime they need factual information for them to take the necessary measures of addressing the issue. In addition, this dissertation aims to present some of such information.

2.0 Chapter 2: “Review of Literature”

2.1 Introduction

The chapter presents a summary of studies that investigate the reasons for the high occurrence of “knife violence” in cities in the UK. The review looks at “socio-economic” causes for the rise in “knife-related crime” by bringing together both ‘theory’ and “empirical evidence” (Asiama and Zhong, 2022). It looks at the impact of poverty, gender, police tactics, and racism on the number of knife crimes. This chapter, using ‘studies’, ‘government reports’, and ‘journal articles’, explains the main aspects of society that affect ‘knife crime’ among those aged 10 to 29. 2.2 Empirical Studies.

2.2 Empirical Studies

There are main factors that let “knife crime” to rise in a number of UK locations

According to White et al. (2024) explores some key factors that are mainly responsible for the rising of knife violence of the younger generation of the UK. The author identified that youth

violence is the main leading factor and is responsible for the rising death of the 10-29 years of younger population. Lack of proper opportunities for education, gang prevention and jobs are the responsible factors for the rising concern of this type of knife crime.

Adaption of various “models and theories” like “social learning theory model” and “strain theory” helps to identify factors of rising concerns of knife crime in the uk.

Robert Merton first proposed this theory, which describes that people commit crimes when the minimal goal cannot be achieved (Reily et al, 2022). Adoption of these theories helps to understand the responsible factors like poverty, stress and absence of opportunities are the key factors for the increasing of knife crime.

According to White et al. (2024), the major cause of knife crime has been characterized as poverty. When people dwell at the poor places, they have limited opportunities in life. It may mean they do not have good schools for their children or secure and healthy areas to play, or hope for a job (White et al. 2024). It is, therefore, notable that some of the young people engage themselves in criminal activities because they think that is the only way they could make it in life.

White et al. (2024) note that “youth violence” in specific, “knife-related crimes” specifically is highly correlated with situations marked by a lack of access to “education, job opportunities and social support”. Structural inequalities which are prevalent in many parts of the UK in places like “London, Birmingham and Manchester”, are more evident in neighborhoods where people are living with long term poverty and have suffered from the “long term service cuts” due to austerity. For 10-29 years “old adolescents”, these systemic barriers can results in feeling of marginalization and hopelessness.

As options for socializing that are rightfully possible like higher education, steady employment, and move up the ladder become ever more unlikely, some young people see criminal activity gang affiliations and carrying knives as a realistic alternative for obtaining respect, income or a feeling of safety. The author also contends that such a decision is not frequently based on inherent criminality, but on a rational reaction to a lack of opportunity and social protection (Wilkinson et al. 2024). Thus, in such settings, but not just the mere deviancy of individuals is “knife crime”, but the exclusion from society and lack of addressed developmental needs. It will take more than just controlling the problem, it will require, structural reformation and investment in youth support.

Figure 1: Strain Theory

(Source: https://www.tutorsploit.com/sociology/strain-theory-definitions-examples-and overview/)

According to Reily et al. (2022), the conclusions drawn can be explained by the strain theory as proposed by Robert Merton. In this case, it states that people desire success such as; money or a good life (Reily et al. 2022). However, if the above cannot be met legally they may opt to commit crime due to poverty or lack of support. Regarding knife crime, these kids may possess knives as concealed weapons or for the purpose of having a feeling of dominance.

Reilly et al. (2022), indicate that children from deprived communities are much more likely to be hospitalized following knife injuries. The absence of money flows into youth support services, mentorship initiatives and play grounds are also responsible for this vulnerability. Youths in places impacted by austerity and social service cuts are more likely to be the target of peer networks that normalize, or indeed celebrate, knife carrying.

According to Haq (2024), his ‘doctoral thesis’ looks closely at the political economy of “knife crime”. According to the author, ‘knife crime’ in the UK is greatly affected by economic challenges, such as "poverty, youth unemployment," and “austerity-led public service cuts”. The author made it clear that, living in deprived cities, “young men” commonly suffer from economic difficulties, making them more willing to join gangs or be involved with county lines.

The author also commented that ‘knife crime’ is often represented by the state as an issue caused by ‘young people’, despite this, the focus is mostly on stop and search instead of fixing economic problems. They say that by not seeing the real causes, it is easy to ignore how ‘neoliberal policies’ affect people’s chances of getting ‘education, employment, and welfare’. The author, using a political economy perspective, urges policymakers to prioritize public health methods and pump resources into reforms that will have long-term benefits.

The authors suggest in their 2024 study that cutting knife crime would be easier if we look into the types of knives mainly involved in violent crimes. From their work, Farrell and Davies (2024) found that “pointed-tip kitchen knives” are responsible for a large number of "knife attacks" causing harm or loss of life. They state that these types of knives are too dangerous for regular kitchen work, and they encourage using round-tip knives to make crimes less lethal.

In much the same way as 'fossil fuel cars' were phased out, the study recommends slowly getting people and businesses to stop using pointed-tip knives. It proposes increasing community knowledge, coupling with manufacturers, and implementing laws that monitor dangerous knives.

Figure 2: “Knife related” offences that happen in the UK.

(Source: Farrell and Davies 2024)

It is noted by the authors that keeping such knives out of reach may help stop violence before it happens. The writer suggests that if pointed knives were swapped for safer kinds, this would not likely lead to a rise in the use of other types of weapons. The research suggests that the environment and the situation at the time play a major part in the rate of knife crime. Looking into the knives used in crimes gives a different angle, but still agrees with research on social and economic aspects, such as poverty and the work of police. Taking on knife crime requires various measures involving both modifications in how individuals act and reforms to systems involved in it.

Having a focus on “knife crime in cities” allows us to see how the media influence how people think

Rogan (2021) mentions that the way the media and politicians talk about “youth crime” is not accurate. Although the official figures say young people are responsible for less crime, the media still spotlight and misrepresent urban knife crimes. The author points out that labelling and differential association theories are used to explain how young people from 'working-class' and 'minority' groups are criticized by society because of how they are portrayed in news.

Figure 3: Impact of the “media-newspaper” on publication of the “Knife-crime”

(Source: Rogan, 2021)

The author goes on to say that this kind of reporting builds fear in the public and makes it simpler for strict rules like early "criminal responsibility" and more authority for police to be approved. The authors believe that such misrepresentations cause young people to feel separated from society and worsens their marginalization, according to the authors. According to the author, it is important for academics and communities to refute stereotypes and share fair information about youth and crime.

According to Vinnakota et al. (2022), explore the associated factors that are related with the “knife-crime” incidents in the different cities of the UK. The author followed a critical analysis to explore the role of “online newspapers and media” that have a significant affected on the crime rates of the UK in recent days. The author highlighted that the “knife crime” is one of the common topics for the online newspapers to catch the attention. The author also mentioned that the “knife-crime” in different cities of the UK creates fear, anxiety stress, and the media tried to telecast that type of news (Vinnakota et al. 2022). The main aim of the author is to explore potential incidents and factors of knife crime in the years from 2011 to 2021, covered in different media and “online newspapers”. The author also followed a “literature-based” research study and used different types of keywords like “knife crime”, online news, etc. The author also identified total 693 incidents of the crime from 2011 to the end of 2021.

The author also mentioned that South Wales experienced the most crime incidents during this period of time. The author also mentioned that there exist 61.8% reports regarding this “knife-crime” located in the “South Wales” region. The author also emphasized the foundation of that males younger are mostly associated with these types of “knife-crime activities” in different cities of the UK.

Figure 4: Knife-crime rate in different period

(Source: Vinnakota et al. 2022)

The above figure shows the fluctuation of the “knife-crime” incidents in the different cities of the UK between 2011-2021. Finally, the author mentioned that the “knife-crime” incidents become a major concern in the UK that are responsible for the sudden rise in street violence, sudden gang attacks, and creates major concerns.

Therefore, the author mentioned that the authority should need to emphasize developing policy, protection and benefits for all communities instead of punishment. Enforcement of law, and safety might help to reduce the “knife-crime activities”.

Different interventions have changed how young people experience life

The researchers used interviews and experience sampling methods to learn when and where young people feel unsafe and how that shapes their opinions of the police. Most young people say the police are not simple to talk to, don’t react quickly, or sometimes act badly. These strategies to cut violence might actually make young people less likely to seek help when the people need it. The researchers believe it’s key to use approaches that help the community, focus on mental health, and provide improved education. It was argued by the author that young people will only trust the police if they can build that relationship between them.

Figure 5: The “reasons young people participated in knife-related crime”

(Source: Skarlatidou et al. 2023)

How the “legal system” handles young people is influenced by their “race, background, and sex”

Coid et al. (2021) say that the researchers studied how both mental health and social background affect the way young British men carry knives. The results of the study point out that cities with economic issues, for example “Hackney and Glasgow East”, see much higher knife-carrying among Black men (Coid et al. 2021). The study says poverty, troubles with mental health like “antisocial personality disorder” and substance abuse, and joining gangs all raise the chances of carrying a knife. The study says that knife-carrying is generally the same between ethnic groups, but Black men experience more police stop-and-search. According to the authors, a focus on “public health” instead of law enforcement is most effective, and they emphasize that support should combine health, education, and justice approaches (Hobson et al. 2022).

Gender

Miller (2023) and Moore (1991) examine how, in her affiliation with “male-dominated gangs”, a “female gang member” usually obtains a deceptive feeling of empowerment. Although women are able to take an active part in such activities as carrying a “knife, guarding territory, or hiding away weapons and drugs” from gangs the patriarchal contours of societies clash with their latent positions. Miller points out that women who might in the first place feel that they exercise some agency and gain some respect in the group, will eventually be reduced to feeling coerced into acquiescence and exploited. “Gender based-violence”, including sexual assault or pressure to offer sexual services is a reality for much of the female gang membership. This notion is backed up by Moore (1991), as he shows how women’s roles are almost always supportive rather than equal, which leaves them susceptible. These results emphasize the necessity of critical analysis of gender roles in carioca gang cultures and awareness of comorbidity of risk experienced by young women.

Gwata et al. (2024), carried an exhaustive study on youth violence in the UK and found out that in the case of ethnic minority girls a specific and especially vulnerable group exposure to gang-related knife crime is real. These girls are becoming more and more a part not just of the victims but as primary actors in violent acts. Their vocations are however always disproportionately ignored in mainstream crime prevention stories, this is done in favor of the lad category. The study draws attention to the way in which intersectional issues like “race, gender, class and cultural background” add to their own marginalization. These “cross cutting identities” have tended to mean limited access to key support mechanisms such as counselling or educational programmers or community outreach. “Systemic barriers” such as “racial discrimination, an economic disadvantage, and under-resourced neighborhoods” are barriers to many of these girls in seeking or getting help. Consequently, they continue to be doomed to lives of violence and exploitation with little by way of safe ways out or reform. Therefore Policy and practice should be consistent with this complexity.

“Policing and racism”

Head et al. (2025) critically explores “media narrative and policy discourse’s” role in making “knife crime” racially articulate in the UK. Proportionally, the analysis shows that “knife crime” is presented as a problem associated with “young Black males” especially in urban centers, such as London. This setup does more than perpetrating virtually negative racial imagination, but also adds fuel to the moral panic experienced by the populace. As a consequence, policy makers have tended to make punitive, surveillance oriented interventions such as stop and search policy rather than trying to address the structural causes of youth violence. Williams claims that this reactionary strategy ignores prevention, the community, systemic change and, in the end, increases racial divisions.

Goldrosen (2024) contend that unequal policing of the “black and other minority ethnic youth” through disproportionate stop and search practice had a negative long term effect on police legitimacy in the UK. According to their study, when young people are continually targeted with no good cause put forward, children come to develop a profound mistryst towards law enforcement. This erosion of trust is not only emotional, but behaviorally as well, as material decisions made under inclinations of unfairness are less likely to cooperate with or turn to the police. A few instances make this adversarial relationship more likely to lead to further confrontation and disengagement and thus further criminalization rather than crime reduction. It is also highlighted that the requirement for a procedurally just police system that is open as well as respectful and indeed equitable especially with communities unequally impacted by stop-and-search policy.

2.3 The “model and theoretical frameworks”

Theoretical Framework

To understand the root causes of “knife crime in poor urban spaces” a theoretical framework helps to relate the social structures. Two “criminological theories” of the greatest value are “Merton’s Strain Theory” and “Social Learning Theory”.

Starin Theory

“Strain Theory” is found in “Robert K. Merton (1938)” working that society reinforces culturally accepted goals like financial success of social mobility but not the nice means for everyone to achieve these goals. This puts pressure between goals and means especially to those belonging to disadvantaged communities (Miller, 2024). When normal ways of attaining success apparent through poverty, lack of education or discrimination are blocked, people tend to resort to abnormal ways; such as “stealing, drug dealing and knife violence” to achieve the same.

Figure 6: Starin Theory

(Source: https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/16/mertons-strain-theory-deviance/)

Merton identified “five modes of individual adjustment” to strain where innovation is most applicable here; young people use culturally valued success but engage in illegal means to realize it. In poor areas of the UK this is why occasionally youths may involve themselves in gang related knife crime to earn respect or economic benefit or to protect themselves from the gangs (Gwata et al. 2024). The theory does not set their behavior as, completely, irrational or inherently criminal rather by it they have designed their survival strategy in a “socially unequal system”.

“Social Learning theory”

On the other hand, the “Social Learning Theory” (Bandura, 1977)”, focuses on environmental and interpersonal processes in learning. The above theory tells us that people, especially children and adolescents, learn behaviors by watching, and copying others particularly people they consider role models. These behaviors are incentivized by means of rewards, or punishment. In the case of “knife crime”, youths brought up in violent or resource limited areas may be around a senior peer or a gang member who has knives and uses violence to establish himself. When these measures appear effective both for securing protection or status they are likely to be emulated.

Figure 7: “Social Learning theory”

(Source: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html)

“Merton’s Strain Theory”

“Merton’s Strain Theory” is the basic outline that explains this dynamic which is expanded by “sociologist Robert K. Merton” in 1938, the theory suggests that the society prescribes culturally accepted goals: “wealth, success or status” without offering all society’s members the same means whereby they may obtain the goals. When peoples especially from a background of disadvantaged situations find these pathways blocked through poverty or poor education or social exclusion, then in turn they may be strained or frustrated.

Figure 8: “Merton’s Strain Theory”

(Source: https://futurealisreal.wordpress.com/2016/10/01/strain-theory-eigo-and-eikaiwa/)

This strain can result in “innovation,” on of “Merton’s adaptive responses”, in which individuals imitate illegitimate or deviant means to acquire the accepted social goals, such as theft or violence, etc. In the case of “knife crimes”, this theory is used to explain why some young people live in impoverished urban environments. The theory deigns that such behaviors are not criminality actions but responses to “structural inequalities”.

Combined the theories rely on how “structural inequalities (Strain Theory)” and “social reinforcement (Social Learning Theory)” interrelate in driving “knife crime”. Young people who are living in deprivation may initially feel strain resulting from blocked opportunities, then learn “knife-related behavior” through observation and reinforcement in social environments. The system cities of inequality and the normalization of violence by the population of communities affected, therefore, need to be addressed to combat knife crime.

Models

Using the “Ecological Model” and the “Public Health Model,” it can better understand why knife crime is increasing in urban areas of the UK (Hobson et al. 2022).

Figure 9: “Theoretical framework”

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

The description of the “ecological Model”

There are two major people who have shaped missional ecclesiology: Lesslie Newbigin and Alan Hirsch. Hobson et al. (2022) say that “age, gender, and mental health” are important factors to know at the individual level. At this stage, young people could carry knives more if they have family difficulties or feeling forced by friends. When “young people” witness a lot of violence, notice gang activity, and live in a deprived place, their risk increases at the community level. What’s more, the media and society’s policies are important because they can change how we think about and tackle violence.

The “Public Health Model”

The model works to stop knife crime by seeing it as something medical and something that should be punished (Da Silva et al. 2024).

Figure 10: The “Public Health Model”

(Source: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/24638/chapter/6)

The model tells us to address the problem early, work with schools, health care, and law enforcement, and put more importance on rehabilitation than on punishment. The effectiveness of these models in fighting knife crime comes from their focus on the context and not just on individuals.

2.4 The “Conceptual Framework”

The aim of this study’s “conceptual framework” is to work out why “knife crime rates” are so high in UK cities.

Figure 11: The “Conceptual Framework”

(Source: Self-created in Draw.io)

The “dependent Variables”

For this, the number of “knife crimes” taking place in cities acts as the "dependent variable” in the study. This is the problem that the study needs to figure out and explain.

The Dependent Variable: “Prevalence of Knife Crime”

In this study, the researchers used “prevalence of knife crime” as the “dependent variable” because they are most interested in understanding this topic. This variable represents how much “knife-related violence” occurs in cities all over the UK (Buil-Gil et al. 2022). The relationship between these variables and knife crimes shows us the causes and possible solutions.

The researchers picked this “dependent variable” to figure out what causes knife crime in society. Because of knowing the prevalence, the researchers can deeply study how things like poverty, gender roles, and policing are linked to knife crime. Monitoring this “dependent variable” gives us ways to reduce knife violence and help ensure the safety of all.

Independent variable

The social conditions that experts think might affect “knife crime” are called “independent variables”.

“Poverty, gender, and policing and racial bias” are the three independent variables used in the study (Srivastava et al. 2024). These variables were picked since this are often highlighted in current research and demonstrate important links to youth violence in cities.

The role of Poverty

Being poor is one of the main reasons that “knife crime” happens in society. Individuals who are young and raised in “economically struggling” areas may find it hard to get good schools, jobs, and positive groups to join (Doucette et al. 2023). When people face these barriers, it can make them very frustrated and may lead them to crime. It is also found that when individuals cannot get what they want through lawful activities, they might use illegal methods to accomplish their goals. For this reason, poverty is considered the “independent variable”.

The Gender

The chance of being involved in knife crime, and how someone gets involved, is determined in part by someone's gender. It is shown through research that males are usually involved in either causing or suffering from knife violence. However, females are now being affected too, frequently because they are involved with gangs or work in criminal networks without being noticed (DeGue et al. 2023). Peer pressure, feeling pressured by gender roles, and a need to be accepted can persuade young people to join groups where knife crime is usual.

The “Policing and Racial Bias”

Racially biased policing, for example the heavy use of stop-and-search against “Black and minority ethnic youth”, erodes confidence between people and the police. This model have four steps which consist “of identify what the problem is, spot what could make problems worse, make prevention plans, and look at the results”. This model says we should intervene early, join forces with different sectors such as schools, health services, and law enforcement, and focus on rehabilitation rather than just punishment. By looking at the context rather than just the individuals, these models are very effective for studying and stopping knife crime.

2.5 Literature Gap

However, the authors mostly examine “economic causes and neglect” how poverty overlaps with things like “gender or prejudiced policing”. In Wilkinson et al. (2024), “knife-carrying” is connected to feeling marginalized and fearful, but the analysis fails to cover the differences between gender and ethnicity in these trends. Gwata et al. (2024) also pursue a “gendered angle: and show that “ethnic minority young women experience” several overlapping vulnerabilities. However, their study looks more at who gets victimized and does not combine an analysis of police practices or societal inequalities.

Miller (2023) and Moore (1991) were among the first to look at women’s involvement in gangs and knife crime, but their models should be revised to match life in cities today and ongoing changes in crime. However, Farrell and Davies (2024) offer suggestions like modifying “knife structures” to prevent crime, even though they largely overlook the social aspects behind it.

Even though these studies note certain risks, the authors do not explore how “poverty, gender, and racism in policing affect” each other. The study aims to fill this gap by looking at these issues together to better understand “knife crime in UK urban areas”.

Similarly, Haq (2024) draws attention to the role of issues like “poverty and austerity” in increasing “knife crime from a political economy” angle. Rogan (2021) criticizes the way “media and politicians” talk about crime, but does not put forward any detailed recommendations for change. Skarlatidou et al. in 2023 study the trust issue between “young people and the police” and urge the use of community-based approaches. Since the research is based only on “East London”, its results may not be as relevant to other places that deal with similar challenges. Coid et al. (2021) are the last authors considered, whose study looks at knife-carrying by young men through a “psychiatric and demographic perspective”. Even though their “statistical analysis” is strong, their work does not focus much on how race and gender affect the responses of the justice system and “young people's outcomes”.

All these studies consider different parts of the problem separately. In this study, the author seek to fill the gap by bringing together “structural, media, policing, and justice approaches” to better understand how “knife crime affects young people” in various “UK urban areas”.

Similarly, Vinnakota et al. (2022) in this article emphasized the increase of the rising concerns of the “knife-crime activities” that arise in the different cities of the UK. At the same time, the author describes the “media role” in determining the reaction of the local communities against this “knife-crime activities” (Nation et al. 2023). However, the author did not mention what the effective strategies are that the “UK Government” can take to improve the reduction of the “knife-crime rate”. The author also did not mention how the reduction of the “inequalities, gender gap and racism” by the “Communal justice system” can reduce the ‘knife-crime rate” in different cities of the UK. However, the author did not mention the present situation of the “knife-crime activities” in others cities of the UK except “South Wales region”. This can be considered as another gap and found provides the opportunity for future research studies.

3.0 Chapter 3: Methodology

3.1 Introduction

This chapter details the methods used to carry out the entire research study on the rise of “knife-crime rate” among you people of the UK. Different types of government reports, articles, and studies are looked at to find out information about why this type of crime happens a lot with young people in the UK.

3.2. Method Outline

This means that this research opts to use qualitative research methodology. This means that it peruses ideas, opinions and meanings rather than figures. It relies on book, articles, and government documents as its sources of information. For the purpose of this project, there were no interviews or data surveys conducted. The particular reason why this method was used was to obtain the motives behind knife crime besides observing the frequency of the act.

3.3 Research Onion

Figure 12: Research Onion

(Source: Saunders et al. 2012)

3.4 The research philosophy

The given research study followed the “interpretivism research philosophy” to find out why people react, what kind of influences can affect people, and how to stop youth crime among people in the UK.

3.5 The “research approach”

This given research study used the “inductive research approach” for looking at the real-life information and the common factors such as racism, poverty, and gender that are responsible for the rise of this type of “knife-crime activities” in the UK (Waite et al. 2023).

3.6 The “research strategy”

The “literature-based strategy” is followed here for understanding the role of media, the current justice system and discrimination due to racism among the “White and Black people” that influenced for rise of the “knife-crime activities” among the UK young population.

3.7 Research design

The design of this research is a “library base quantitative design” based on secondary data. Such design can be explained by the fact that there are rich and credible data sources, such as government reports, academic articles and books, media coverage and journal publications (White, 2024).

3.8 Research method

Therefore, a library-based method was chosen since it is convenient in obtaining information and no ethical approval is required in using documents. This was made possible through adopting a method that presents different views and theories to prop up the research findings. To gather the data, sources were selected from academic authors, as well as governmental statistics such as the Office for National Statistics and scientific articles.

3.9 Search Strategy

Most of the data was obtained from targeted searches on the internet and database searches. To obtain relevant secondary (authoritative) data on knife crime news, the researcher made use of such freely available resources as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and government websites, such as ONS and Home Office reports.

3.10 Search terms

Important search terms included such as “knife crime theories”, “causes of youth violence in the UK”, “criminological theories of knife crime”, “factors influencing urban crime”, and “gang violence in the UK”. The use of Boolean operators such as AND and OR proved useful in focusing the search so as to ensure that materials that described theoretical explanation as well as empirical statistics on knife crime were identified (Ossei-Owusu, 2021). The use of these strategies led to a systematic removal of relevant material that answered the study’s main objectives.

3.11 Data Collection

Apart from online academic tools, the researcher sought deep criminological ideas from journals such as The British Journal of Criminology, Crime and Justice, and Youth Justice Journal. To add context and describe actual world experiences, the research team sought advice from renowned media publications such as BBC, The Guardian, and The Independent. Using these sources, the project obtained a better understanding of the current knife crime incidents and how the public debate continued to change, which helped create an equal perspective on the topic. Combination of academic literature, formal reports, and media coverage permitted the data collection strategy to provide a holistic panorama of knife crime, ranging from theoretical basis to actual socio-political interpretations.

3.12 Data Analysis

The secondary data was critically evaluated and interpreted through the qualitative content analysis technique. Through a guided exploration of the related literature, we were able to illustrate recurrent theoretical ideas and trends that will shed light on aspects of knife crime in urban environments (Brenner, 2022). Data was classified into themes, correlating Merton’s Strain Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Labeling Theory in criminology with the socio-economics addressed in the reports and case studies. The thematic approach provided the foundation for the comparative analysis of the theoretical framework and practical evidence on which the significance of the former could be grounded effectively.

3.13 Ethical Considerations

Even though there was no collection of “primary data”, ethical considerations were followed. All sources used are free to access and have been used appropriately (citing) according to the “Harvard referencing style” (Haq, 2024). Lacking direct interaction with participants eliminates a need to obtain the ethical approval from the university ethics board.

The research seeks to put forward balanced, and non-bias perspective. Special care was taken to avoid what can be stereotyping, most especially in reference to “race, youth culture, and gender”. Sensitivity was kept while interpreting/releasing findings from often media negatively portrayed communities.

3.14 The “research Limitation”

One of the key limitations of this research study is that it only uses information and reports that are already out there, and it didn’t try to gather any new data. This limited what area could be studied and made it tough to include more topics in the study (Duff and Kemp, 2025). Another limitation of this research study is that this research couldn’t use very recent information, and the articles couldn’t tell us much about why “knife-crime” happens in different cities in the UK. Lack of “Primary research study” like “interview, survey” also made it hard to know how bad the knife-crime problem is now for the UK Young people.

3.15 Timeline

Figure 13: Gantt Chart

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

4.0 Chapter 4: Findings and analysis

4.1 Introduction

This present chapter identifies the key factors that are mainly responsible for the rising trend of the “knife-crime activities” in the UK. The media also plays an important role in publishing the news regarding knife-crime activities, which directly impact the prevalence rate (Larsson et al. 2024). Therefore, this chapter also highlights the key role that the media plays in the knife crime news, the strategic approaches, race and gender in the following sections.

4.2 Findings from secondary analysis

4.2.1 Key factors that affected the “knife-crime prevalence” in the UK

In recent days, Knife attacks have been going up in main cities across the UK, most notably in places including London, Manchester, and Birmingham. According to statistics from “police recorded crimes” in 2023, there was a 10% rise in knife-related offences for the whole of ‘England and Wales’, while London suffered about 14,577 knife crime incidents by itself (Goldsmith and McLaughlin, 2022). A lot of the “victims and offenders” fall into the age group of 15 to 29, with more being male. Experts believe that “poverty”, lack of "social support", and "community disconnection" are major causes of this increase.

Figure 14: The “knife-crime” trend in the UK has been tracked from 2015 to 2024

(Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/864736/knife-crime-in-london/)

It is easy to see that areas struggling economically usually have the most “knife crime”. Most of the time, unemployment is common, the schools face problems, and there are not enough services for the community. Most young people in such areas believe the community does not fit into mainstream society (Pope, 2025). Such places usually do not provide many chances for young people to go to school, work, or engage in recreation. Because of this, a lot of individuals join gangs or peer networks in search of identity and security.

Another reason some young people bring knives is because the people are scared of being attacked. Young people interviewed have said the “ypung people” carry knives mostly to protect themselves rather than to attack others. When using knives becomes the norm, there is a bigger chance of people fighting and getting injured. Disputes about territories and anger between people in the community make the inner-city feel even more threatening.

The findings also identified that the “young people” are often faced issue of disconnection from the local schools, governments, and police. These are responsible factors that affected the behavioural changes of the “young people”. The uncertain futures are also responsible for arise of violent activities.

The number of knife crimes tends to go up in places where social service budgets have been cut severely. This increase the chance for harmful activities to become more common. This increase the chance for harmful activities to become more common (Among, 2022). In brief, it is important to remember that the increase in knife crime is not simply caused by people deciding to be violent on their own. It is a reflection of underlying social issues, like “inequality, disconnection, and fear”, that should be dealt with at both local and government levels. In turn, the following section stresses crucial factors like ‘poverty, gender, racism and policing, ‘criminal justice system’ etc.

4.2.2 Explanation on how media coverage shapes the number of knife crime cases in the UK.

The media has greatly affected the way people in the UK think about “knife crime”. The media, whether it is “newspapers, TV, or the internet”, has a tendency to present knife crime stories with strong emotions and in an unbalanced manner (King and Swain, 2023). Even though the media has drawn attention to the violence young people face, it has also shaped people’s fears, affected decisions made by politicians, and altered public views, often leaving out key information.

The media is another factor that is also responsible for the rise of these types of criminal activities. The media also highlighted that the cities of Birmingham and London” experienced the maximum number of crime activities in recent days (Skarlatidou et al. 2023). These types of knife crime are also responsible for the creation of fear, negative feelings among the population living in those areas. The media news is also responsible for the creation of the tension, fear for which it increases the knife-crime rate in different cities of the UK.

Figure 15: The key evidence of the “Knife-Crime” published in “Mail Online”

(Source: https://x.com/George_Osborne/status/1052926080749834241)

In a number of case studies, “local press and online coverage” made knife incidents more noticeable by applying a political interpretation. Where anti-immigration or hardline crime parties were on the rise, the media focused more on suggesting a relationship between “knife violence and either migration or cultural diversity”. Reports like this can sway people's thoughts and produce wrong beliefs about communities.

Meanwhile, certain national newspapers are starting to use more thoughtful and understanding methods of reporting. Some examples are articles that look at knife crime by discussing poverty, problems with school, and a lack of youth services (Phillips et al. 2022). In such stories, you can read about what young people, families, and people who help them think about the issue. Yet, these kind of articles are not as common as the sensational coverage of crime.

Media reporting shapes people’s “sense of safety” within their own neighbourhoods. Lots of people who live in cities say they feel less safe after seeing or hearing repeated reports of stabbings, even if these incidents are not close to home or rare. Because of this, some residents decide not to use public transport or stay indoors at night.

Besides, how knife crimes are shown in the media can change the “political decisions” that follow. Often, when there is a lot of media coverage of knife attacks, the government will quickly announce new enforcement measures like increasing stop-and-search or making sentences harder (Johnson, 2024). Policymakers may make such decisions hurriedly and are often led by media attention rather than by a proper analysis or community conversations.

To sum up, the media can act in two ways (Gwata et al. 2024). It raises awareness about knife crime, but it can also spread fear and negativity, as well as lead to policies that don't really solve the main problems.

Some towns and cities have lost youth centres and support services because of recent funding cuts. This means that after classes, some young people don’t have anywhere safe to hang out or anyone to discuss their problems with.

4.2.3 Different Approaches and Experiences Young People Have with “Knife Crime”

During the last few years, a range of strategies have been set up in the UK to reduce “knife crime and support young people” influenced by it. The strategies may vary in how the startegies are carried out and what impact the startegies have, but all aim to “decrease violence, create trust”, and offer young people better choices.

Using “stop-and-search” more frequently is one of the most well-known efforts by the police. Police stop-and-search is supposed to take weapons off the street, but many young people feel they are being targeted, especially minority group members.

In “East London”, young people say they “young people” have been approached by police several times and not given a real reason (Grasso and Smith, 2022). Because of this, many young people now find it even tougher to trust the police or think of them as people who can help.

However, “community-based programmes” have proved to be more beneficial. Such strategies are “youth mentoring schemes”, “violence reduction units”, and “after-school activities”. A lot of these programmes are designed to help young people develop good relationships with trusted adults. In particular boroughs, youth centres have organised programmes with “sports, music, job training, and one-to-one counselling” (Stefani et al. 2021). Those who involve themselves in these programmes often feel more secure, better understood, and less forced to get involved in gangs or knife crime.

In addition, “education within schools” is an important approach. Police officers and youth workers are invited to some schools to explain the problems of knife crime to students. Programmes in some schools include “workshops”, theatre shows, and “real-life testimonies” to teach students about violence. Such efforts encourage students to talk openly about their concerns and ask the questions they have.

Every place does not have the same chance to use these programmes.

4.2.4 Role of gender, economic status, and inequality on “young people”

Young people are differentially affected by issues of gender, economic status, and inequality.

Poverty

Young people from “low-income groups” are more likely to be involved in the “criminal justice system” because of poverty. Children living in “low-income families” often get excluded from school and do not attend good secondary schools, which raises their chances of being incarcerated in the future (Gracia et al. 2023). It’s clear that poverty is criminalized more in areas where people are over-policed, and this happens partly because biases link poverty to being a criminal.

Levels of “economic inequality” tend to go along with more interpersonal violence, mostly among young men who live in poor communities. When “rich and poor areas” are close together in cities such as London, it can make people living in poverty feel even more left behind, which might contribute to more violence.

Gender

There is a clear gender divide in the “criminal justice system”. Women under the age of 25 are commonly affected by “violence, abuse, or trauma”, which plays a big role in their offending actions. “Poor mental health, education exclusion, and economic inequality” are more common in the lives of these women (Stefani et al. 2021). “Black, Asian, and other minoritized women”, together with those who have been in the care system, are greatly overrepresented in the group of young women involved with the criminal justice system.

Also, the “justice system” can make things worse for already “traumatized young women” and girls. It is reported that girls in custody rate of self-harm is much higher than that of boys, and many have missed out on school due to permanent exclusion. These problems can result in a repeating cycle of challenges and legal problems.

Effect of racism and policing

Racism and the policy system are also responsible factors for the rising rate of the “knife-crime” activities among young people in the UK.

There is a lot of proof showing that policing treats people of color unfairly. Black young people are more at risk of arrest, often miss out on alternatives to arrest, and generally receive tougher sentencing than white young people (Johnson, 2024). Predictive policing methods have faced criticism because they are often influenced by data from past discriminatory practices and may then target Black people more often.

Therefore, the “institutional racism” creates a major concern for the entire “criminal justice system” in the UK. The “UN Human Rights” also found that systematic racism is a major factor in the injustice, racial discrimination and other problems.

However, the UK “criminal Justice System’ often fails to identify the key needs of the “Young people”. It is also identified that minority people, Asian, Black, often face limited access, to is another responsible factor for rising of the “knife-crime activities in the UK. The limited access are also responsible for the creation of the disadvantages, risks among Black individuals peoples to white individuals (Grasso and Smith, 2022). In this way, racism is the another responsible factor for the rise of the “knife-crime” among young people of the UK.

For these reasons, racism is responsible for poor economic status and experience under the “criminal justice system”.

4.3 Conclusion

It is clear from the above section that “knife crime” is seen as a greater problem now affecting younger people in the UK. Fear, poverty, gender, race, and economic problems all had a big impact on the increase in knife crimes. Both the justice system and the police are thought not to give all young people the same treatment, and this is a reason for the problem. This section points out that introducing good programs and safe locations may lower the level of ‘knife crime’ in young people.

5.0 Chapter 5: Discussion

Although the system is set up to stop young people from getting involved in crime, it puts more effort into punishing them instead of figuring out why it happens, despite the fact that many young people who get involved have gone through tough times like poverty, being rejected from school, or having to deal with trauma (Cullingworth et al. 2024). Many young people who get involved in “knife crime” often come from tough backgrounds, such as living in poverty, not having a good place to go to school, or going through hard times in their life. The community gap and the race and gender are often a responsible factor for rising rate of the “knife-crime activities”. Therefore, the “young-people” may feel forced into a life of crime, instead of being able to change for the better.

The system is also criticised for not showing fairness to groups of young people from different backgrounds. The findings show that prevention works better when programmers are held in the community, young people get extra support, and are given early help before getting into crime, rather than just treating young people like adults and punishing them (Richardson et al. 2024). Because of this, it gets harder for young people to change and start a new life outside of crime. Such systems can make things harder for young people who get involved in crime, because getting a criminal record can stop them from going to school or finding a job, and having a record means they’re more likely to do it again.

Moreover, the justice system has been criticized because it doesn’t treat everyone equally, and young people from Black or minority groups are much more likely to get stopped and checked by the police or given harsher penalties than their white peers (Hudson, 2021).

This is another responsible factor for the rise of the potential gap and the trust issues among the “communal justice system” and the “younger people”. Most of the time the “young people” feel that the “minor community background” is a responsible factor for deprive in this society. This also leads to increase of the “knife-crime activities” among the UK “younger people”.

Development of the youth policy, providing of necessary benefits should help to reduce the community gap and the rate of “knife-crime”. (Butler et al. 2022). Therefore, providing of a supportive system might help to develop encouragement among the “young people” for acting as responsibly. All things considered, the justice system should aims to help young people, not just punish them.

5.1 Poverty and Knife Crime

Poverty constitutes one of the most powerful and structural factors for the prevalence of “knife crime” in cities of the UK. Many researchers have demonstrated a very strong relationship between violence among “youth and economic deprivation” (Figueira et al. 2024). The seed of this relation is rooted in the all too narrow access to legitimate ways of realizing societal success and thus frequently triggers people towards criminal activity.

5.2 Gender and Knife Crime

Knife crime has frequently been sexed up within public discourse with young males as stalkers at the center. Nonetheless, new literature exposes the complex nature of gender effects on the perpetration and victimization experience of “knife crime”.

Feminist literature has challenged the stereotypical view of female gang membership and contended that a few young women find empowerment and a sense of belonging in gangs 5 (Nurge, 2003) as well as use these gangs to dispute with dominant gender stereotypes 6 (Joe Laider and Chesney-Lind,1991). However, having been drawn to the idealized concept of the gang being a place of safety, security, companionship, and love, female members are exposed to the often-violent nature of belonging. As members of male run gangs, female participants may be considered personal property of men: they are sexually exploited and assaulted, often as part of the initiation ritual 7(Miller, 2001). Collectively, many studies suggest that the part of a women is to supply ‘safe houses’ for male gang members, in order to carry weapons or drugs and/or to provide sexual services, to scout out rival territory and to engage in violence with girls who are connected to male gangs 8(Moore, 1991; Chesney-Lind, 1997; Joe Laider and Hunt, 2001; Miller, 2001).

Many of the knife crimes victims are boys; however, girls are also vulnerable to being involved. The following are some of the reasons why some girls join gangs; some girls join gangs because they want to feel safe, they get love, what they want from life or because they want to be accepted (Nurge, 2003). However, much of this can pose a certain risk to them; they can be involved in gangs (Joe Laider and Chesney-Lind, 1991). Sometimes girl in gangs are subjected to ill-treatment, they are harassed in style that include, forced into giving in to sexual favors or forced to be used in carrying of weapons or drugs (Miller 2001).

Girls are not passive actors but they are also involved in the gang business. Some girls become gangsters in order to challenge the negative attitudes of society. Some of the female gang members end up being abused or exploited by other members of the gang. Female gang members may be expected to conceal a knife, hostilities a place to stay for boys, or violence female counterparts affiliated to other gangs (Moore, 1991; Chesney-Lind, 1997; Joe Laider and Hunt, 2001; Miller, 2001).

5.3 Policing and Racism

The difference in “policing peer group practices” on the basis of race has an ancient history in the UK especially in regard to the “knife crime”. In the BME community and particularly among young males, empirical evidence indicates that the BMEs are disproportionately stopped and searched under suspicion of taking weapons.

It is widely perceived by different people that police are selective when it comes to enforcing the law on knife crime (Gani et al. 2023). Black and minority ethnic individuals are treated ‘inhuman’ and have noted that young BME persons especially the male are searched by the police, even if one is an innocent civilian (Figueira et al. 2024). This in turn makes them feel targeted and ignored or rather not trusted by society.

Some of the issues raised about policing of knife crime concern ethnicity (Bhana et al. 2022). At other times, they target the wrong people and neglect the factors that make violence possible such as; unemployment, and neglect of youths among others (Wilkinson et al. 2024). This may lead to emergence of anger and mistrust among the communities. This is because when citizens do not have trust in police, they will not go asking for assistance or even report cases of criminal activities (Gwata et al. 2024).

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5.4 Criminal Justice System

The knife crime has a number of manifestations of which the “criminal justice system (CJS)” has traditionally only been concerned with the illegal nature and the punishment of the same, it has hence been the subject of criticism from many quarters.

In the same way, the handling of knife crime is determined by the criminal justice system. In other cases they are punished very severely when young people engage themselves in knife related criminal activities (Coid et al. 2021). Some end up in prison and/or they are not provided with any kind of assistance. For instance, some might require mental health treatment, school or employment opportunities but instead, they are disciplined (Secker and Braithwaite, 2021).

6.0 Chapter 6: Conclusion

6.1 Introduction

Knife crime is on the rise in many cities of UK at the moment. It is most prevalent in the young population and brings about the feeling of fear in any given community. This study also revealed that causes of this problem include poverty, no opportunities in life, issues in media, gender and police brutality and the justice system.

6.2 Linking with objective

6.2.1 Main factors that are effected on the prevalence of the “knife-crime” in the UK

There are numerous reasons as to why young people own knives among them being insecurity and authority. Boys and girls can participate, but their motives and perception could not be the same. Police should be very friendly and courteous to all people and more of an assistance, rather than an enforcement force. The justice system should also provide assistance to youngsters instead of incarcerating them.

The above section has already found that different types of factors, like abandoned opportunities, inequalities among the societies, gender gap, racism, poverty and poor financial status are all responsible factors for which the knife-crime rate in the UK is gradually increasing (Hradilova Selin et al. 2024). Limited job opportunities, poor economic conditions, lack of enough support from society, people, friends even the “communal justice systems” are the main factors for this prevalence rate.

6.2.2 Role of the media coverage on “knife-crime” in the UK

The media helps to shape the public's thoughts regarding “knife crime” in the UK. Media links knife crime to people from minority backgrounds and ignore the reasons and problems. The media also published these types of crime activities in which also creates fear among the population. The media play a big part in building impressions towards knife crime, and their stories are connected to the process of creating new laws (KC, 2022). The punishment cannot be reduce the knife crime discovered in various media paper.

6.2.3 Strategies applied to provide better experience against the “knife-crime” activities

In order to prevent knife crime, society should provide youth with more hope. This means improved academic institutions, employment opportunities, access to quality mental health services, and hardware of social networks. It also implies youth voices and the ability to empathize their struggles and ordeals.

This work proves that knife crime is not as simple as societal miscreants perpetrating evil acts due to their criminal disposition. It is about personal circumstances that exist in the society, which give people no option but to do something. Solving it implies correcting those underlying issues along with it.

It should therefore be defined and distinguished as a phenomenon and not as a problem that can be solved by police. To accomplish this goal it requires the support of schools, families and charities, and the government, etc.

The first among of the possible solutions I can identify is early help. If youths are supported while they are still young, then they will not get into bothering behaviors such as carrying knives or joining a gang.

Organizations such as mentoring, sports clubs, Youth Centers are present. The provision of programs and services to the young people can redirect them to better embrace the right paths.

Safety is also another thing that also must be provided for the communities. In this case, when people have confidence in their fellows as well as the police, such incidents will be reported and thus curb the occurrence of crimes.

In this case, education can go a long way in seeking a solution. Education people young people about the risk associated with knife and providing them with life skills to enable them to counter the risks in future cases.

6.2.4 The existing inequalities among the race, gender, and the “criminal justice system”

The above section also identified that different cities of the UK are not getting equal treatment and benefits from the courts and police stations due to belonging to the “minority groups”. This leads to an increase the gap in the “communal justice system’ among the minority groups (Alexandrescu and Spicer, 2023). At the same time, the punishment cannot be work effectively for the reduction of these types of criminal activities. The “crime activities” can be reduce by giving equal opportunities.

6.3 Recommendation

Providing of access to all younger people in different cities of the UK can help to reduce the significant rise in the crime rate in different cities of the UK. At the same moment, schools and other educational centers do a great job of assisting young students and preventing any knifing events. Providing more training to the police officers can also help to reduce the communication gap with the “UK young people” with the “Criminal Justice Systems” (Oswald et al. 2024). Providing continuous developmental policies by the “UK Government” is another important factor for the reduction of these types of criminal activities. At the same time, adoption of the “long-term solution” and policy can also help to reduce the inequality gap and develop the mental health of Young people. The UK government can also implement some policies and include young people in these development programs. The rise in knife crime in different cities of the United Kingdom is tackled thanks to the more active involvement of community groups, local authorities, and the police force.

6.4 Conclusion

Knives are being used in more serious crimes, mainly by young people, in British towns and cities. The above section identified that the “knife-crime” arises due to the impact of several factors like unfavorable supportive systems, inequalities, poverty and racism. The above section also identified that punishment does not have any effective impact on the reduction of these types of crime activities. Therefore, the best way to solve these types of activities is to increase the communication levels and support for the young people and to understand the problems that are the responsible factors for the increase in such crime rate. The active participation of the UK police also plays an important role in the provision of better services, enquiries and the inequalities in different cities of the UK.

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To investigate the factors influencing the prevalence of knife crime in urban areas Dissertation